Oil well pumping transmission



Aug. 29, 1939. c. G. BOONE OIL WELL PUMPING TRANSMISSION Filed June 17,1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 5 6i 500/76 ATORNEY Aug. 29, 1939. c. e.BOONE 2,171,287

OIL WELL PUMPING TRANSMISSION- Filed June 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR kafl 61 500/72 Jam AT RNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1939 2,171,287

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 2,171,287 01L WELL PUMPING TRANSMISSIONCharles G. Boone, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Gustin-Bacon Manufacturing00., Kansas City, Mo, a corporation of Missouri Application June 17,1937, Serial No. 148,697

5 Claims. (Cl. 74593) My invention relates to an oil well pumping nectedbefore the supply of oil in the well is detransmission and moreparticularly to a transpleted, pounding down will occur. The strain ofmission for reciprocating movement in which connecting the sucker rodsto the power intromeans are provided for controlling the duration ducesstresses which sometimes breaks the rod 5 of the transmission of power.line. This manner of operating is common and While my invention will bedescribed with rea well may be on the pump for various periods spect toits application to oil well pumping, it is daily. to be understood thatit is of general application When a well is knocked off, oil from theforin transmitting reciprocating motion. mation flows. into the well.When the liquid level Currently, it is the practice in removing petrointhe well rises to a point such that its hydrostatic 10 leum from wellsto employ a reciprocating single pressure equals the pressure existingin the foracting pump operated by a line of rods called mation,no-further oil will flow into the well. If, pull rods. After a well hasbeen in production however, the oil could be removed from the well for aperiod of time, gas pressure present in the at a rate equalto its flowinto the well so that pool, which normally forces the oil to the surahydrostatic head equal to the pressure forcing 15 face, causing it toflow, is depleted so that-pumpthe oil into the well is never reached, acontinuous ing must be resorted to to remove the oil from the flow ofoil could be achieved. Present pumping well. On shallow production, itis customary to equipment is such that it cannot be operated erect alarge power driven band wheel on a lease below a predetermined velocityof motion due to from which a plurality of wells are pumped. The leakagepast cups and valves. This leakage is 20 hand wheel is driven by agasoline engine or an called slippage. The result is that, in order toelectric motor or any other suitable prime mover pump at all, thevelocity of the pump stroke must and is provided with one or moreeccentrics havbe at a predetermined minimum. ing radially extending armsrunning to rod lines One object of my invention is to provide ameththrough which the various pumps of the respec- 0d of pumping oilfrom the oil wells at a mean 25 tive wells are operated. Some wellsemploy a effective rate equal to the rate of flow of oil into front inwhich a motor is used to reciprocate the well.

a walking beam to one end of which is attached Another object of myinvention is to provide the line of sucker rods. means for operatingpumping equipment at a pre- At some time in the f of an oil well, thedetermined velocity intermittently so that the. 30 amount o 011 flowingto e W6 1 be omes SO mean effective velocity of the pumping stroke orsmall that the well cannot be pumped continthe average velocity over aperiod of time will be y- When the pp y of Oil e u o approximately equalto the rate of flow of oil Of the p p is fip fi e e pu p n qu pment intothe well, while the velocity of any one stroke '35 W p W Pumping an p yWell, will be sufficiently high to enable oil to be pumped that is, whenno load is imposed upon the sucker efiiciently. rods during theirupstroke, imposes severe strains. Another object of my invention is toprovide on the rod line and very frequently causes its an oil wellpumping transmission interposed bep V lv seats n th p mpin q ptween thepower and the pump whereby the pump 40 m n e j c d t sev re rain frequenly is operated intermittently with short rest periods 40 resulting intheir l y- T0 aVOid pounding in between in which pumping periods andresting down the pumping equipment is usually disperiods areautomatically varied as a function of connected. In such case, the pullrod line is suptime. ported y a P adapted to pp e ight Another object ofmy invention is to provide 5 0f the Sucker rod String, Called he kock-01f a transmission which automatically connects the p The rod1111615 51113130111811 y the nock-O power and disconnects it inpredetermined phase post and the well is allowed to rest until oil hasrelation to the number of pumping strokes.

accumulated. When sufiicient oil has. accumu other and further objectsof my invention will lated in a well, depending upon the speed withappear from the following description. which oil will flow from theformation into the In the accompanying drawings which form part 50 Well,t e T061 line is again Connected t p mpof the instant specification andare to be read in ing equipment. The manual connecting and conjunctiontherewith and in which like referdisconnecting' of the rod line to thepumping ence numerals are used to indicate like parts in equipmententails considerable work and involves the various views;

inconvenience. Unless the pumping is discon- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a transmission 55 embodying one mode of carrying out myinvention and adapted for use in my method of oil well pumping.

Figure 2 is a plan view with parts. broken away, of the transmissionshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In general, my invention contemplates interposing between areciprocating driving means and a driven means, a transmission adaptedto form a connection between the driving and driven means in which thereciprocating driving means operates a connecting means adapted toconnect the reciprocating driving means and the driven means in responseto a predetermined number of reciprocations of the driving means and inwhich means are provided for disconnecting the reciprocating drivingmeans from the driven means in response to a predetermined number ofreciprocations of the driven means.

More particularly referring now to the drawings, the reciprocatingdriving means is shown as a link secured to driving head 50, to which issecured by means of bolts 5|,a channel 2. The link is adapted to begiven a reciprocating motion by an eccentric, cam, or crank driven byany suitable prime mover (not shown). The channel 2 is adapted to bereciprocated on guide flanges 3 of members 4, as can readily be seen byreference to Figure 4. The members 4 are secured by stud bolts 5 to apair of frame members 5. Members 4 are held in predetermined spacedrelation by through bolts 1 and provided with spacing bushings 8.Secured to frame members 6 by means of bolts 61, is a goose-neck 9adapted to fit a knock-off post Ill. The end 52 of the rod line H passesthrough the slot |3 in the knock-off post II] and is secured to thegoose-neck 9 by means of a clamping plate J4 and stud bolts l5 as canreadily be seen by reference to Figure 3. The end of the rod line l2 maybe upset to form a rivet head l6. Secured to driving channel 2 by meansof stud bolts IT is a plate l8. Mounted upon plate |8 and securedthereto and to the driving channel is a stop or detent plate l9.Extending between members 4 is a shaft 23 upon which is pivoted a pawl2|. A squared bar 22 extends between members 4. Secured to bar 22 bystud bolts 23 is a flexible metallic leaf 24. Members 4 are providedwith lugs 25 formed with reentrant portions 26 to form a well in whichis seated a spring 23. The upper end of the spring engages the underside of leaf 24. A shaft 21 is journaled in suitable bearings in members4. Keyed to shaft 27 by key 29 is a cam 30 against which spring 28forces one end of leaf 24. The pawl 2| is secured to leaf 24 by means ofbolt 3| and spring 32. The spring 32 allows resilient relative motion ofthe pawl and the leaf 24. The nut 33 governs the compression of thespring 32. Members 4 are provided with a sheathing 34 secured to theedges of members 4 by means of bolts 35, the sheathing 34 and themembers 4 forming a housing.

Suitable bushings 35 may be provided in members 4 to form bearings forthe shaft 21. Keyed to shaft 2'! by keys 37 are internal members 38 ofoverrunning clutches. The housings 39 of the overrunning clutches arepivoted upon shaft 21 and held in assembled position by means of nuts 40as can readily be seen by reference to Figure 4. The overrunning clutchconstruction may be of any suitable type in which gripping rollers 4|,shown in Figure 5, are adapted to jam the housing 39 to internal clutch.member 38 when the housing moves in a counterclockwise directionrelative to the internal clutch member. The housing members 39 areprovided with upper lugs 42 to which arms 43 are secured by bolts 44.The arms 43 are provided with weights 45, adjustably secured thereto byset screws 46. The weights acting through the arms tend to rotate thehousings 39 in a clockwise direction which movement is readily permittedas the gripping rollers 4| will move to non-gripping position.

The housings 39 are also provided with lower lugs 41 adapted to engagestop pins 48 secured to the members 4 to limit the clockwise motion ofthe housings under the influence of the weights 25. Secured to thedriving head 50 by means of bolts 52 is a bracket 53 which adjustablysupports a push rod 54. The push rod may be adjusted longitudinally ofits aXis in the bracket 53 and is held in adjusted position by a setscrew 55. Secured to the exterior of one of said housings 39 by means ofbolts 55 is an angle 57. The angle 51 is secured below the center of thehousing. The push rod 54, upon reciprocation relative to the housing, isadapted to strike the angle 57 and rotate the housing counterclockwise,thus causing it to rotate member 38 which is keyed to the shaft 27,causing it to rotate.

Link 58 is pivotally secured to goose-neck 9 by means of stud bolt 59.Secured to the outer end of link 58 is a push rod 60 which is supportednear its other end by a bracket 6|, secured to one of the side members 5by means of bolts 62. The end of push rod 60 is adjacent an angle flange63 which is secured to one of the housings 39 by means of, bolts 64.Movement of the push rod 60 to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, willcause it to strike angle 63, rotating the housing 39 in acounterclockwise direction. Movement of the housing 39 in acounterclockwise direction will cause rollers 4| to grip and transmitmovement of the housing 39 to the member 38 of the clutch. Member 38 iskeyed to the shaft 21 so that movement of the housing 35}counterclockwise will cause the shaft 21 to rotate counterclockwise.

The link 58 is adapted to swing over the open portion of the goose-neck9 which normally embraces the knock-off post Ill. Engagement of the link53 with the knock-off post will cause it to pivot, moving the rod 60 tothe left as viewed in Figure l. The amplitude of this motion is governedby the position of rod 30 in the block 65. Rod 60 may be adjustedlongitudinally in block 35 which is carried by the end of link 58 andheld in adjusted position by means of set screw 66.

In operation, assuming the position of parts shown in Figure 3, theweight of the sucker rods is being carried by the knock-off post l0through the goose-neck 9, and the reciprocating member driving head 5|]and channel 2 are reciprocating idly without transmitting thereciprocating motion to the pumping string. The frame members 5, members4, and associated parts are stationary. Upon each reciprocation, thepush rod 54 carried by the bracket 53 strikes the angle 51 secured tothe lower portion of housing 39, rotating it in a counterclockwisedirection. The amplitude of counterclockwise rotation is governed by theposition of push rod 54. It will be obvious by reference to Figure 2,that as the push rod 54 is moved to the right, as viewed in that figure,it will contact angle 51 and move it to the right, thus rotating thehousing to which angle 51 is attached. Rotation of the housing 39counterclockwise will rotate member 38 counterclockwise, rotating theshaft 21 to which it is keyed, and rotate cam 39, which is keyed toshaft 21. It will be obvious that every time the push rod 5 1 strikesangle 51 and moves it, that cam 39 will move in a counterclockwisedirection, depending upon the amplitude of motion which is governed bythe adjustment of push rod 54 on bracket 43. The rotation of housing 39in a counterclockwise direction is against the action of the weight 45.When driving head 50 moves to the left, the push rod will move away fromthe angle 51 and permit the weight 55 to rotate the housing in aclockwise direction until the lug 41 engages the stop 48. Since theprime mover is driven at a constant speed and the movement of the cam 30varies directly as a function of the number of reciprocations, it willbe obvious that the adjustment of push rod 54 will control the movementof cam 39 as a function of time and as a function of the number ofreciprocations of the driving head 59. By reference to Figure 2, it willbe observed that, as the cam 39 rotates, it will depress the leaf 2%against the action of spring 28. As the leaf 24 is depressed, the pawl2| is lowered. The action will continue until the toe 69 of the pawlengages the edge E9 of the stop member IS. The edge 19 of the stopmember 19 is slightly beveled to maintain the pawl and stop member inengaged position when a load is being carried. The parts are shown inFigure 2 at the limit of the reciprocating motion. The arrangement issuch that engagement is always made at the limit of reciprocating motionwhich is the point of least acceleration so that, as a load is taken, aminimum strain is interposed upon the line of sucker rods, the strainbeing no more than is normally imposed during the pumping of the well.When pawl 2| engages stop plate l9, the prime mover is operatively connected to the rod line through the following linkage: prime mover, linkI, driving head 50, channel 2, stop plate l9, pawl 2|, shaft 29, members4, frame member 6, goose-neck 9, rod line H. The reciprocation of thedriving head will now be imparted to the rod line and the well will bepumped through the operation of the pump through the rod line, as iswell known to the art. When member 59 reciprocates with members 4, therewill be no relative motion between push rod 54 and angle flang 5'! and,if no other means were provided, the pumping would continueindefinitely, as long as the prime mover operated. It will be observedthat link 58 is now reciprocated with respect to the knock-off post 10,since it is carried by the goose-neck which is being reciprocated.

The adjustment of push rod 60 is such that the angle plate 63 normallyengages the end of the rod, and, through the influence of weight 45,will hold the rod sufficiently to the right so that the link 58 will bein a position partially across the open end of the goose-neck. In thismanner,

.upon reciprocation, the link 59 will strike the knock-off post 10,rotating the link around its pivot in a counterclockwise direction,moving push rod fill to the left, causing it to rotate housing 39 in acounterclockwise direction through angle plate 63. The amplitude ofmotion, as will be readily understood, is controlled by the position ofpush rod 69. Counterclockwise rotation of the housing 39 will rotate theshaft 21 in a counter clockwise direction through the overrunning clutchassembly, thus causing the cam 39 to continue to rotate in acounterclockwise direction. As this occurs, the leaf 24 will be movedupwardly under the influence of spring 28, thus compressing the spring32. When the load is momentarily off the pawl at the extreme limit ofthe stroke, that is, when the goose-neck bears against the knockoff postand the load is thus momentarily carried by the knock-off post, thespring 32 will lift the pawl from engagement with the detent so that,upon the return stroke, no pumping will occur, the linkage between thedriving and the driven means being thus broken. It will be observed thatthe arrangement is such that the disconnect ing of the driving meansfrom the driven means occurs at the limit of the stroke and thus withoutshock.

The adjustment of push rod 54 will determine the length of time that thedriving means is disconnected from the driven means, while theadjustment of push rod 60 will determine the length of time the drivingmeans is connected to the driven means. In this manner, I have provideda very flexible transmission. I may have the pump operate for one strokeand remain idle any number of strokes. I may have the pump operate forany number of strokes and then remain idle for any number of strokes,depending upon the adjustment of the respective push rods E i and 69. Iam thus enabled to obtain any desired mean effective pumping rate, whileenabling the prime mover to run at a constant speed and the pumpingassembly to operate at an efficient speed.

It will be readily observed that I have accomplished the objects of myinvention. By means of my transmission, I am enabled to pump a well at arate substantially equal to its rate of flow and thus prevent thebuilding up of a hydrostatic head of oil within the well which wouldprevent further flow of oil into the well. The constant flow of oil willmaintain the porosity of the formation. I have found that, byintermittent operation, sediment carried from the formation through thechannels naturally. present in the formation, tends to reduce theporosity thereof and hence further reduces the rate of flow of oil intothe well. Pounding down, with consequent possible injury to the pumpingequipment and sucker rod strain is avoided. The labor, inconvenience,and danger of connecting and disconnecting the pumping string from thepower is avoided. Increased recovery of oil from the well is obtained.By means .of my method, I have been enabled to more than double thedaily production of a well which could not be constantly pumped at thelowest rate possible with the pumping equipment.

It will be understood that certain, features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made indetails within the scope of my claims without departing from the spiritof my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention isnot to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a pumping assembly having a driven reciprocating means positionedbetween a prime mover and a pump, said means adapted to transmit energyfrom the prime mover to the pump for actuating the same, a connectercomprising a driving reciprocating member and a driven reciprocatingpart, said driven reciprocating part being carried by said drivenreciprocating means, means for connecting said driving member tosaiddriven part, means operated by the relative movement of said drivingmember with respect to said driven part for actuating said connectingmeans to connect said driving member to the driven part, and; meansactuated by the reciprocation of said driven part for actuating saidconnecting means to disconnect said driving member from said drivenpart.

2. In a transmission for reciprocating motion including in combination aconstantly operating prime mover, a driving member connected to saidprime mover for constant reciprocation, a driven part adapted to beintermittently connected to said driving member for transmitting thereciprocating motion, a connecting means for connecting said drivingmember to said driven part, means actuated as a function of the numberof reciprocations of said driving member for operating said connectingmeans, and means operated as a function of the number of reciprocationsof said driven part for operating said connecting means to disconnectsaid driving memher from said driven part.

3. In a transmission for transmitting reciprocating motion, a.constantly reciprocating driving member, a driven part with respect towhich said driving member reciprocates, a stop on said driving member, apawl on said driven part, means for operating said pawl to move it intoand out of engagement with said stop, a pair of over- 5 running clutchesfor operating said pawl operating means, means operated by the relativemotion of said constantly reciprocating driving member with respect tosaid driven part for actuating one of said overrunning clutches formoving said pawl into engagement with said stop, and means operated bythe reciprocation of said driven part when it is connected to saiddriving member for operating the other of said overrunning clutches fordisconnecting said pawl from said stop.

4. In a transmission as in claim 3 in which said means for operatingsaid overrunning clutches are provided with adjusting means to controlthe extent of respective operations therof. L2

5. In a transmission for transmitting reciprocating motion a constantlyreciprocating driving member, an intermittently reciprocating drivenpart, means for connecting said driving member to said driven part inresponse to a predetermined 2 number of reciprocations of said drivingmember relative to said driven part, and means for disconnecting saiddriving member from said driven part in response to a predeterminednumber of reciprocations of said driven part.

CHARLES G. BOONE'.

